by Ross Kaplan on March 31, 2010
“Can I Please Speak to Myra Mains?”
Courtesy of City Lakes office manager Josh Kaplan, here is a classic April Fool’s joke for — make that on — Realtors, especially “newbie” Realtors.
Here’s the set-up:
The front desk leaves a voicemail for the intended Realtor-victim (plural, ideally), telling them that they have a lead for them. The prospect’s name is “Myra Mains”; her number is 612-927-01×7.
Here’s what happens next:
Realtor: ‘This is Jane Doe at Edina Realty. Can I please speak to Myra Mains?”
Other line: . . . .‘click’ (sometimes preceded by a “Ha! Ha! Very funny!”)
It’s funniest when the Realtor persists and re-dials a couple times before catching on.
The phone number, of course, belongs to a local funeral home.
by Ross Kaplan on March 31, 2010
White House “Short Sale”
Washington, D.C. (April 1, 2010) –President Barack Obama today announced plans to sell the White House as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to reduce the national debt. However, with an estimated fair market value of $200 million, secured by a $13 trillion mortgage, President Obama acknowledged that, at present, the White House was deeply “underwater.”
“We believe it is in the best interests of our creditors — China, Japan, and various OPEC members — to reduce the principal balance on the White House, rather than risk an even greater loss by forcing the property into foreclosure,” President Obama said.
Representatives of the various creditor governments were reportedly studying the proposal. A spokesman for Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said, “Before we consider such a dramatic write-off, we, of course, will require the United States to provide a complete and candid picture of its financial situation — something that it has not offered to date,” the spokesman said.
Ross Kaplan, Edina Realty City Lakes, has the listing.
by Ross Kaplan on March 29, 2010
“How Much Do the Neighbors Trust Each Other?”
One of the standard pieces of advice I give to my Buyer clients is to chat up prospective neighbors (also mail carriers, but only if they’ve been on the route at least six months).
Who knows better than them if the neighborhood is safe, the local schools are good, people are friendly, etc.?
It’s also my experience that people who like where they live are more than happy (if not eager) to “sell” their neighborhood to prospective Buyers — as long as they introduce themselves properly and don’t knock on the door at 10 p.m.
In his column today, New York Times columnist David Brooks corroborates this approach, and adds this gloss:
If you want to find a good place to live, just ask people if they trust their neighbors. Levels of social trust vary enormously, but countries with high social trust have happier people, better health, more efficient government, more economic growth, and less fear of crime (regardless of whether actual crime rates are increasing or decreasing).
–David Brooks, “The Sandra Bullock Trade“; The New York Times (3/30/2010)
The only question I have is of the “chicken and egg” variety: which comes first — “high social trust, ” or happier people, better health, more economic growth, etc.?
by Ross Kaplan on March 29, 2010
“Mammoths & Mastodons” Exhibit at Field Museum
I always learn something new at a great museum like Chicago’s Field Museum, and today’s visit was no different.
Going through the new “Mammoths and Mastodon” exhibit, I learned that there are five primary theories about what killed the mammoths and mastodons, the last of which disappeared in Siberia about 3,000 years ago:
1. Climate Change
2. Disease
3. Over hunting
4. A meteorite
5. Goldman Sachs
Apparently, scientific evidence is leaning towards theory #5.
